Better Than I
by Tehri
Summary: America and England have been through a lot together, and they have come to mean a lot to each other. But what are their own thoughts about this? // Fluffy songfic.


**Author: ... Random piece of fluff. xD I hadn't listened to this song ("Better Than I", Joy Williams) for so long, and suddenly I just wanted to hear it, and this came up...**

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Alfred would rarely admit that he might've done something wrong; he was a strong nation, one that few would want to cross, who went his own way. It didn't matter what others said, because he was the United States of America, a leading super power in the world. He had all the right in the world to make his own fortune, didn't he? The older nations would look at him and shake their heads, small smiles on their faces, but disapproval in their eyes. Their people might like the country, but the nations themselves really were a different thing. He wouldn't try to make them change their minds, because really, why should he care? There was actually only _one_ nation he'd give that privilege to, only one. The only nation who, despite claiming to hate him and never enjoying his company, actually wanted to support him. England... No, Arthur. Yes. Arthur was always there. He had been there for him during the Depression, despite being affected himself and still not being on the best terms with the younger man. Although he had strongly disapproved of the war with Vietnam, he had still been there to patch Alfred up when he was injured (even though a lot of scolding was involved). And so it had continued throughout the years. Arthur had been there whenever the younger nation needed support, when he needed someone to stand there with him and tell him that despite his foolishness it would be alright. The few times the American had wanted to give up completely, Arthur had been there and furiously told him to stop being an idiot, to continue fighting since that was what he was good at.

"You have never been smart enough to give up on anything in your life before, you bloody git, so why would you do it just because of this?! You have gone through worse things! Are you going to let this _ant_ make you, the giant, fall?!"

Those had been the exact words. And to tell the truth... Maybe Arthur was right. Because the Englishman had never given up on anything before... Except maybe the Revolution. But besides that, he had continued fighting until he couldn't go on anymore. He had shown Alfred that way, and after walking along it for some time, the young man had started to follow another road. But it always ran just beside the road that Arthur walked.

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_I thought I did what's right,_

_I thought I had the answers..._

_I thought I chose the surest road,_

_But that road brought me here._

_So I put up a fight,_

_And told you how to help me._

_And just when I had given up,_

_The truth is coming clear._

_For you know better than I,_

_You know the way._

_I let go, the need to know why,_

_For you know better than I..._

_---  
_

Arthur was well aware of the scowls some of the other nations would send his way when he passed them. In the past, he had wronged many of them, but the point was that it was in the _past_. And to him, no one had been more wronged than America... Or well, perhaps some of them had, but he had never felt so much for any of the others as he had for that golden-haired little boy. That little boy who would now laugh and smile and make new friends all the time, the boy who had grown into a man. Arthur was proud of him, even though he would not say that out loud to anyone. God knew that the lad didn't need a bigger ego. And only God knew why they had been forced to go through so much pain. The last thing Arthur had ever wanted was to see Alfred cry. But he had been forced to watch that many times, just as the poor boy had been forced to see tears come from Arthur's eyes. But even though Alfred acted indifferent, Arthur knew too well that he hated to see his old mentor cry. They were special to each other. Only the American knew how to figure out the true meaning behind Arthur's words, and the Englishman was the only one who, despite everything that had happened, could read the young man like an open book. They were not like France and Canada, who met in "secret" every now and then. They didn't need that. But despite what some people thought, Arthur continued to stay by the American's side. He didn't need anyone's bloody approval for showing the lad back to his own road every now and then, blast it. And God knows that the brat truly needed someone to guide him at times. After 9/11, Alfred had been an emotional wreck and acted like a lost puppy. Arthur had cared for his wounds, gently helping him to heal, and he had slowly led him back to the road he had chosen so many years ago. But for once, Alfred decided to walk on a small path just next to that road, a little further from the older nation. In his fury, he had started a war, and despite Arthur's own anger at the action, he had remained by the lad's side. He was not a person who would give up right away... Besides, he believed in Alfred. He believed in that the boy needed to see it on his own, what he had done wrong, and then maybe he could think of a way to right it again...

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_If this has been a test,_

_I cannot see the reason._

_But maybe knowing, I don't know,_

_Is part of getting through..._

_I try to do what's best,_

_And faith has made it easy_

_To see the best thing I can do_

_Is put my faith in you._

_For you know better than I,_

_You know the way._

_I let go, the need to know why,_

_For you know better than I._

_---  
_

Sometimes, Alfred would wonder if he had done the right thing in claiming his independence. Not because he regretted it, of course... But because he was uncertain about if he had claimed his freedom too fast. Because... Was he really free right now? Wasn't it more that he had only desperately thrown himself over the edge of a cliff and hoped for that he would be able to fly away from imprisonment? But... He _was_ free now. Or well, at least in some manner, he was. He was tied down by work, by having to be the nation he was. But every now and then, he _did_ spread his wings and jumped off that cliff again, eager to explore the rest of the world. And yet, he'd return to the top of that cliff, return to his nest, to help his people. And next to the nest, a red fox would stand and watch him, always there, just in case.

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_I saw one cloud, and thought it was the sky!_

_---  
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Arthur would, at times, hate himself for allowing Alfred to just step into his life like that once more. After the revolution, he had tried to keep a large distance between them, but little after little, rumours about the rich land in the west began to worm their way into his mind. They had been doing so well over there, and Alfred had worked so hard... Slowly, with much hesitation, Arthur's road had started to bend back towards the younger nation's. And once they met again, after many long years, Alfred was truly a grown man who didn't need anyone's help. But as time slowly passed by, those cerulean eyes began to truly watch the rest of the world and seek friendship, seek allies. At first, England had not been on his mind, but little by little, the boy had sought his old mentor out. Of course, Arthur wanted to help him, but he wasn't certain about _how_. All he could do at the moment was to slowly follow and watch... But he could never _really_ follow, could he?

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_I saw a bird, and thought that I could follow!_

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But... if Alfred had never learnt about what freedom was, why it was _needed_... Then would he still be one of England's colonies? One who never dared to break free? Would the world be different? Yes, he decided. It would be more than different... But he wouldn't think of it. Why think of a world where he was a prisoner? It wouldn't make things better. But sometimes, the thoughts would sneak back, and he'd begin to ponder it all. If Arthur had never taught him all those things, what it was like to have a family, why people needed to be free... Then so many things might not have happened. Because... if Alfred was an eagle, then Arthur was the one who had taught him how to fly. And even though he might not show it too often, he was eternally grateful for that.

"But how could an old fox teach an eagle how to fly," he would ask himself sometimes, when no one else was around. "A fox can't fly. So how?"

Because Arthur was free. That was the answer he reached. Although burdened with work and having to take care of colonies, the Englishman knew the taste of freedom. Of course he had been able to teach the younger nation to fly...

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_But it was you who taught that bird to fly!_

_---  
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Nowadays, Arthur was bound to the earth. He had no opportunity to break free, not with all the work he had to do. He was far from fond of it, but he knew that it needed to be done. However, when it was all finished, he was far too tired to run free in the manner he used to. He missed it so much, missed the days when he would sail around, not caring about where he was going. Never having a specific destination... But this day and age was not for that, and it had never been. He could realise that, but that never stopped him from being nostalgic. Alfred was the one of them who was free now, and he did as he pleased. But lately, they had been getting closer... They had started to spend time together again, even outside of work. And perhaps, just maybe... they would fly together.

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_If I let you reach me, will you teach me?_

_---  
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"Hey, Iggy..." Alfred scratched the back of his head, looking a little sheepish. "Do you remember that night when you climbed up with me on the roof, and we sat there and watched the stars...?"

Arthur looked up from his book and raised an eyebrow, briefly glancing out through the window; night time fell quickly, and it certainly looked like a cloudless night.

"Yes, of course," he muttered. "Why would I not remember that?"

Alfred smiled a little bit and held up a blanket.

"Can we?"

Only a while later, they sat up on the roof of Arthur's house and stared up against the stars. The good thing with being at the countryside house, Alfred decided, was that the only light to disturb the small gleaming gems up there came from the house, and from the small village that was at least a mile away.

"It's beautiful..." Arthur breathed out the words with a smile on his face. "So beautiful..."

Alfred chuckled and glanced at the older man.

"You can stop moving away," he said. "It's better if you don't get cold, and I brought that blanket for you."

Arthur shook his head a little, but took the blanket and wrapped it around his slender frame. The brat wouldn't shut up unless he did that anyway. That spring was finally coming around didn't quite matter; the nights were still fairly cold. They sat in silence for a while, Alfred carefully sneaking his hand around the older man's shoulders and pulling him closer. For once, Arthur would not protest. No one was there to see anyway.

"Do you remember when I said that I'd fly among the stars one day," Alfred asked, a playful smile spreading on his lips. "When I said that I would bring you there?"

Arthur let out a quiet chuckle.

"Yes, I remember, Alfred," he replied. "Why?"

The American got to his feet, stuck his arms out and spun around, causing the poor Englishman to splutter in surprise.

"W-watch it, you git! You could fall!"

"Ah, it won't kill me, Iggy! I'm a nation, I won't die from that!"

"No, but it'll bloody well put you in the hospital! I am _not_ explaining that to your boss again!"

Alfred laughed and sat down again, hugged Arthur tightly and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Alright, alright," he grinned. "I'll sit here with you, old man."

Arthur swatted half-heartedly at him, a small smile of relief on his lips.

"Git," he muttered. "Don't call me old when you're the one who insists on being with me all the time."

They leant back, finally lying down together on the roof as they watched the stars above.

"You've always known better than I anyway..."

"Don't be silly, Alfred... All I ever did was to be stupid... Because I didn't know how to let go..."

A warm smile, a tight embrace, lips meeting in a brief kiss. And then, a soft voice that began to sing.

"_For you know better than I..._"

Another voice that answered in the same manner.

"_You know the way..._"

"_I let go, the need to know why..._"

"_I'll take what answer you supply..._"

Cerulean eyes gazed into emerald ones that slowly came closer as they both whispered the last words together.

'_Cause you know better than I..._

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_**Reviews are love! :3**_  
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